A Second Chance At Love
by Princess Rose Gold
Summary: OutlawQueen. Based off of the idea of Regina meeting Robin before she became the Evil Queen. She sneaks out one night when Leopold is gone, she is thrown from her horse and knocked unconscious. Robin saves her, and they fall in love of course. But what happens when Rumple finds out? Regina being happy is not in his plan. Rated M for later chapters. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Hi guys! I hope you enjoy this story. This chapter is short but chapter 2 will be up in a few hours. Please review and give feedback!

Regina sighed. She was alone in her giant castle, with nothing to do. She'd read almost every book in the library, paced in all the hallways, stared out of every window. The King and Snow were gone, again. This time for an entire month. It was both a blessing and a curse for her. She enjoyed not having them around, so she wouldn't have to pretend. She was relieved of the worry of the king coming into her bed at night. She felt lonely all the time, even when they were around, but she felt a physical loneliness as well as emotional when they were gone. When they were absent, nobody came to the castle to see the Queen. She was only important in the King's presence. In reality, she was the queen of nothing. She waited for nightfall once again, so she could escape for a little while. She made a habit of this, while the King wasn't around to watch her. He instructed the guards to not let her leave the castle without him, but she quickly noticed that they failed to keep watch at night, especially at the stables. She went to her closet, deciding to keep her gown but switched her high heels for riding boots. She snuck through the hallways of the castle, seeing a few guards here and there but avoiding them without a sound. As she opened the door to the courtyard, she smiled as she felt the warm summer breeze through her long dark hair. She glanced at the full moon through the branches of her apple tree as she set out towards to the barn. She got Rocinante out of his paddock, quickly brushing him and tacking him up. She led him behind the barn, towards a deserted path in the woods that was barely ever used, except by her. She mounted, and galloped off into the forest.

It was dark out as she came to her destination. She had a special spot in the woods that she always came to. It was a small lake surrounded by the forest. She dismounted, letting her horse graze. She sat down on a large rock by the water, and gazed up at the stars. The sky was so open and bright with millions of small twinkles of light. The lake looked like a mirror, so still and reflecting the beautiful night sky as well as her reflection. She could hear the crickets, owls hooting in the distance. The warm air smelled of pine and earth. This was her happy place. She took a deep breath, feeling relaxed. She sat there for a while, imagining what her life would be like if Daniel were still alive. Imagining what it felt like to be loved, and to live a life where she wasn't miserable, and she could do what she wanted. She hoped that someday, she would find a way to be happy.


	2. Chapter 2

Meanwhile, Robin Hood came to the clearing after a long afternoon of hunting. He had managed to kill three turkeys, one he would keep for food and the others he would sell at the market. It was nightfall, and he was about to head home. He approached the lake, quickly filling up his flask. As he looked up from the water, he was surprised to see a figure. It was a woman, with her horse nearby. She looked angelic and statuesque, sitting on a rock. She was perfectly still and poised, gazing up at the stars. Her long, dark hair contrasted with her pale complexion, which made her look like a ghost. She wore a tight fitting gown and corset, with sparking jewels. She was beautiful. He didn't want to startle her, so he silently crept back into the woods. He wondered who she was and why a woman of such high status would be in the woods alone at night. He brushed it off, hauling his three turkeys on his back, eager to return home. He only had a mile to go when clouds suddenly covered the sky, obscuring the light of the full moon, making it hard to see. He felt a raindrop, then another, then several. Soon enough, it began to pour. He put his hood up, and trudged on through the rain. He heard thunder in the distance, followed by a flash of lightning nearby. He knew he had to get home quickly.

"Regina began to grow tired, deciding to head back to her castle and go to bed. She jumped on her horse and went back the way she came. She hadn't gone very far when she felt rain starting to fall. She groaned, cursing the weather. The rain got heavier, and she heard thunder close by. She began to worry, as she rode along the trail. Suddenly, there was a huge strike of lightning right in front of her. Her horse spooked, stopping in its tracks and turning quickly, throwing her off. She landed on the ground, hard. She felt a sharp pain on her leg and on her head right before she lost consciousness.

Robin was walking back to his cabin when he saw a horse galloping towards him. He quickly saw that it had no rider, so he got in front of it and put his hands up to stop it. It slowed, but looked frantic and scared. He grabbed its reins and led it in the direction it came from. It looked just like the horse that belonged to the woman across the lake. Soon enough, he saw her, laying on the ground. He ran up to her, to see that she was not awake. He leaned down, and put a hand over her heart. He felt her steady heartbeat and could see her breathing, so he was relieved to see that she was just unconscious. She was soaked from the rain, and her dress was ripped to reveal a large bloody gash in her leg. He slid his hands underneath her and lifted her up, and carried her back to his home. Fortunately she was very light and it was a short walk. He went inside and set her down on his bed. She was still out with no signs of waking. He went to tie up her horse and to put his hunting gear down, before returning to attend to her. He poured some alcohol over her cut to clean it. He grabbed some cotton, put it over her wound and wrapped cloth around her leg to secure it. He could also see that her head was bleeding a little, but it was too small to cover it. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. She had a pretty face, with smooth and soft skin. Her eyebrows were perfectly manicured, her eyes had little makeup. Her lips were luscious and a soft pink color. Her hair, although wet, was long and dark. She was easily the most attractive woman he had ever laid eyes on. He felt her hands, and they were ice cold. She was soaked from the cold rain, and her wet dress would make it hard for her to dry. He figured that it would be best to wait until she was awake so she could change clothes, so he got a few blankets and put them over her. He put her head underneath a pillow, making sure she was comfortable. He put more logs in the fireplace to make it warmer. Once he had done all he could, went into the main room of the cabin to sleep on the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina awoke, her eyes fluttering open. Almost immediately she realized she wasn't anywhere familiar. She certainly was not in her castle. She looked around, seeing that it seemed to be a peasants house. She was on a small bed, with several blankets over her. There wasn't much in the room besides the bed, just a fireplace, table and chair. She tried to recall the events of the previous night. She couldn't remember what happened after she left the lake. She tried to sit up, but felt a great throbbing pain on her head. Just then, the bedroom door opened. A handsome man stepped in, carrying a tray with food. "Good morning, milady. I don't mean to startle you. Would you like some breakfast?" He asked. "Who are you? How did I get here?" Regina demanded. "I am Robin of Locksley. I found you yesterday when I was walking home. You had been thrown from your horse, you were unconscious on the ground. You have quite a nasty gash on your leg, and I think you might have hit your head...May I ask who you might be?" he asked. "Regina," she said. "Queen Regina?" He asked. "Yes," she said with a sigh. She tried to sit up again. The throbbing in her head turned into a painful pounding as she sat up. She gasped and held her head in her hands, trying to make the pain go away. "You must have an awful headache... Here," he said, producing a damp cloth. Before she could say another word, he gently pushed her back down and put the cloth on her forehead. "I shall fetch some medicine," he said. He left for a few moments and came back with a small bottle. "It won't work instantly, but it will speed up the healing process," he said, taking the cap off and handing it to her. She looked at him as she took it and downed the whole thing in one swallow. "Why are you doing this?" She asked. "I am always willing to help someone in need, especially a pretty lady like yourself," he said. The queen raised her eyebrows at him. "You should rest. When you're feeling up to it, you should eat your breakfast. I brought you a change of clothes as well. Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything. I'll be back soon," he said, and left the room. Who was he? Why was he caring for her? I need to get better so I can return to my castle, Regina thought. She turned to the side table to see bread, meat that looked like turkey, and a cup of water. It wasn't a lavish dinner she was used to, but she was hungry. She sat up slowly, the throbbing in her head returning. She sat still for a few moments, waiting for it to die down. She reached over for the tray and ate everything on her plate. Once she was finished, she tried to move her leg so she could climb out of bed, only to feel an intense pain where her bandage was. She gasped, and lay back down. She was stuck. She had nothing to do but to lay there and stare out the window. She couldn't help but think that even though Robin was a peasant, he was quite attractive. She began to doze off, and was almost asleep when she heard the door open slowly. She heard little footsteps enter the room and go to her bedside. Her eyes fluttered open to see a small boy, no older than 5 years. "My daddy said that you got hurt. I picked you these flowers to help you get better soon," he said, handing her a small handful of daisies. She couldn't help but smile and take them. "Thank you, you are quite the gentleman," she said. "He also said you're a queen. Do you sword fight?" He asked excitedly. Regina laughed. "Oh, no, queens don't sword fight. My guards do," she said. "Roland!" Robin called from the other room. "Oh no, he told me not to come in and bother you," Roland said, as he tried to run out of the room, Robin met him at the doorway. "Roland, what did I say?" He asked. "Don't bother Lady Regina..." Roland recited. "Right," Robin reached down and picked him up. "Let's you and I go feed the horses, does that sound good?" He asked. Roland nodded. Robin turned to Regina. "Sorry about that, he's a curious little boy," he said. "That's quite alright," Regina said, smiling at Roland. "We'll let you rest," Robin said, and closed the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Here is chapter 4, hope you enjoy! Sorry the story is a little slow so far, but it gets better I promise! Please review, tell me what you want to see next!

Regina awoke from her nap. She looked at the clock, seeing that she'd slept for several hours. She sat up, not feeling the pounding in her head. She put her feet on the floor and stood up, feeling some pain in her leg that was not unbearable. She limped to the table on the other side of the room, and changed out of her ripped dress into a white peasant shirt and brown pants. She let her hair down, it falling to her waist. She ran her fingers through it to brush it, then tossed it all behind her shoulder. She went to the door and opened it, and saw the rest of the cottage. It was just one room, that was relatively small. There was a table and chairs, a fireplace and couch, a bookcase and a small kitchen area. She realized that Robin gave her his bed to sleep in, and that he slept on the floor judging by the blankets on the ground. Robin was nowhere to be seen, but Roland was in the corner playing with his toys. "You're awake!" He exclaimed and ran over to her. He looked at her as if she was a brand new, exciting toy for him to play with. Regina smiled. "I am. Where's your father?" She asked. "He went out for a bit, said he'd be back soon," Roland said. "Can you show me your horse?" He asked. Regina smiled. "Of course," she said. They walked out the door and to the small paddock next to the cottage. There was Robin's horse and Rocinante, eating hay together. "Come here, Rocinante," Regina called, making clicking noises. The horse looked up from its hay and lazily walked over, putting his head in her arms. "This is Rocinante, my horse I've had since I was a child. Here, you can pet him," Regina said, picking up Roland and holding him on her hip. He reached out and pet the horse, and smiled. Rocinante nibbled on his clothes, making him laugh. "Do you want to ride him?" Regina asked. "Yes!" Roland said excitedly. "Okay, let me get him out," she said, putting him down. She put on Rocinante's halter and lead line, and led him out of the paddock. "Ready?" She asked Roland. He nodded excitedly. She lifted him up and he climbed onto the horse's back. She led the horse in large circles, giving Roland a long pony ride. "Want to go a bit faster?" She asked. "Yes!" Roland said. Regina let Rocinante walk in a circle around her. She clicked to him. The horse picked up his pace into a lazy trot. "Go pony, go!" Roland said. Regina giggled. "You two having fun?" Robin shouted from up the road. Regina led them both to him. Robin reached out and pet Rocinante. "Yes papa, I love Lady Regina's horse," he said. "I see you're feeling a bit better," Robin said, turning to Regina. "I am. The medicine helped," she said with a small smile. "That's good. Thank you for entertaining him, sometimes he can be a bit of a handful," Robin said. "Oh, it's no problem," she said. "Why don't we all go inside and make dinner?" Robin said. They walked back to the cottage, Regina helping Roland down and putting Rocinante away in his paddock. In the kitchen, Robin had emptied the sacks of food he carried earlier on the table. It was an array of fruits, vegetables, and meat. "Can I help?" Regina asked. "Sure," Robin said, smiling at her. "Cut these up for me, please," he said, handing her a knife and some carrots. She cut them as he stirred the soup over the fire. "Hopefully you will be better by tomorrow, so you can get back to the king. I'm sure he's worried, they must be looking for you," Robin said. Regina scoffed. "That is not anyone's top priority," she said. "Why not?" Robin asked. Regina looked at him. "Because, he's not at the castle. Him and his daughter are always traveling, and as always, I am left behind. Even if he was here, he wouldn't even notice," she said. "But he's your husband," he said. "We do not care for each other. Our marriage was arranged, it means nothing. His heart forever belongs to his late wife, and he sees me as nothing more than an object. He doesn't let me leave the castle without him, there I am a prisoner. It's a lonely life being queen..." she said with a sad look in her eyes. "That sounds awful," Robin said. "I wish I could run away, have a different life. I'm not happy there," she said with a sigh. "I'm so sorry. You must be miserable," Robin said, looking at her. "You're more than welcome to stay for a while, however long you can get away with," Robin said. Regina smiled. "Thank you, but I really shouldn't be gone for more than a day or two. The guards will notice," she said. "Right. Would you like a drink?" He asked. "Sure," Regina said. Robin fetched two glasses and a bottle of whiskey, filling them and handing one to her. He added the vegetables to the soup, then took it off the fire and served a bowl for himself, Regina and Roland. Roland took up most of the dinner conversation, chattering on, until he finished and ran off to play with his toys. Having the dinner table to themselves, Robin then turned to Regina. "So, if you don't mind me asking, why did you become the Queen if you dislike this life so much?" Robin asked, sipping his drink. Regina smiled. "That is quite the long story," she said. "I've got time," he said, sipping his soup. Regina told him about Daniel, and her mother, and how she was forced into marriage by Cora's thirst for power. She felt strangely comfortable with him. It felt good to trust him, and to tell someone about what she was truly feeling. Robin was sympathetic and understanding, and seemed to genuinely care, which was something she was not used to. He talked about Marian and her death, his past of being a thief, and being a single father to Roland. She was impressed with how hard he worked, and how honest and honorable he was. "Enough about me. Tell me more about you," he said. "What do you want to know?" Regina asked, finishing her glass of whiskey. "What do you do for fun?" He asked. "Well, I read, ride my horse, and I practice magic," she said. "Oh, so it's not just your mother who can do it?" he said. Regina smiled and waved her hand, a bird appearing out of thin air in her palm. It hopped, chirped, and flew out the window. "I'm impressed," Robin said, eyebrows raised. Regina smiled. "So what about you?" She asked him. "I hunt, practice shooting my bow, play with Roland, ride my horse...normal peasant things I suppose," he said. "Roland is such a sweet little boy," she said. Robin smiled. "Thank you. Speaking of which, it's somebody's bedtime," he said, looking towards Roland. He looked up from his toys, and yawned. "Can I have a bedtime story Papa?" He asked, climbing into the couch and laying down under the blankets. "Of course," Robin said. "I should be going off to bed too," Regina said. "Sleep well," Robin said with a smile. "You too," she said, limping off to the bedroom.


	5. Chapter 5

She awoke that morning to see the sun shining outside. She yawned and sat up, feeling hungry. She got up and walked to the door. Her limp had gone away. Robin and Roland were eating breakfast together. "You're awake. Please join us," he said, noticing her presence. She went over to the table and sat down. Robin got up and served her a plate. "How are you feeling?" He asked. "Almost like new," Regina said. "Good," Robin said, serving her the food. "I'm finished Papa. Can I be excused?" Roland asked. "Yes, Roland," Robin said. He ran off to the fireplace, leaving the two of them alone. "Do you want to go on a ride with me?" Robin asked. "Riding?" Regina asked. "Yeah. I wouldn't want to send you home without making sure you're comfortable riding home with your leg," he said. "Right. Sure, let's go," she said. She finished her food, then helped Robin wash the dishes. They both went outside, fetching their horses. They decided to just go bareback, only putting bridles on. Regina jumped and swung her leg over to get on, Robin doing the same. "Ready?" Regina asked, having Rocinante walk on a circle around him as she braided her long hair to the side. "Yup," he said. They walked down the road to a small path. They walked side by side, enjoying the sunshine and warm weather. Regina sighed. "I can't remember the last time I rode during the day. Feels so nice," she said. "You feel okay? How's your leg?" Robin asked, concerned. Regina laughed. "I feel fine. Don't worry about me," she said. "Let's go faster," he said. "Ok," she said. They both broke into a trot, then a smooth canter. As they rounded a corner, they saw a tree was down in the middle of the path. It was raised and slanted, about 2 feet off the ground. Regina saw Robin stop out of the corner of her eye, but she urged Rocinante forward and jumped the log. She stopped and looked back at Robin. "What's the matter?" She said, in a playful gloating voice. Robin laughed, and walked forward. "I'm afraid I can't beat that," he said, his horse stepping over it. Regina giggled. They walked for a while, finally coming to a large, open field. "Want to race?" Robin asked. Regina looked at him, smiling. "You're on," she said. "Ok, ready? 3...2...1...Go!" He said. Their horses broke into gallops, running as fast as they could. Regina's horse started out in the lead, racing towards the forest on the other side. She felt the wind on her face, Rocinante moving underneath her. She felt free. Robin's horse slowly outpaced hers and beat her by a horse length. They both slowed as they reached the forest, Robin putting his hands up in victory as he slowed to a stop. He turned around to see Regina close behind him. "You win!" she said. "You may be better at jumping, but I'm better at racing," he said proudly, chest heaving. Regina giggled and leaned forward to lay on Rocinante's neck, catching her breath. "What's your prize?" She asked. Robin walked over on his horse to a cherry tree. He picked a flower, and ride back over to her, stopping as their horses were close alongside each other. "You can have the prize," he said, reaching over to put the flower in her hair behind her ear. Regina smiled, and sat up. "Thank you," she said. "I haven't had this much fun in a long time," she said. "You really should get out more," Robin said jokingly, flashing a smile at her. "I would if I could! Let's rest a while," Regina said, sliding off her horse and letting him graze. Robin did the same. He laid down in the grass, Regina coming over and lying next to him, staring at the clouds and blue sky. "I can't remember the last time I've felt this happy... I hate that I have to go back," Regina said. Robin rolled on his side to look at her. "Then don't," he said softly. Regina looked at him. She put her hand on his cheek, and they began to lean towards each other when suddenly they heard a horse neigh in the distance. They broke apart, seeing a royal guard on horseback on the other end of the field. Regina gasped. "We have to go, I can't be seen!" She said. Robin quickly got to his feet and helped her up. They ran to their horses, jumped on and ran off into the forest, before the guard could chase them. Once they came to a road, they stopped. "That was close. Do you think they're looking for you?" Robin asked. "I don't know, probably. It would be best for me to go back," she said sadly, looking at him. "I understand," he said. They took the road that led to her castle, walking along and riding alongside each other until it came into sight. "Well, this is where I'll leave you. Please know that you can come visit any time. I'll be waiting," Robin said. Regina smiled. "Thank you so much, for everything. I'll try my best to come back and visit," she said. She leaned over and gave him a hug. When she pulled away, she kissed him on the cheek. Robin reached out and held her hand. "Goodbye, Regina," he said, kissing her hand. "Goodbye Robin," she said, and rode back to her castle.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry this is so late! I've been busy with college work. The sorry WILL get more interesting very soon, so stay tuned. Please review!

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><p>Upon arriving at her castle, she snuck up to her bed chamber without being noticed, a skill she became an expert at over the past few years. Once she was safely inside, she quickly undressed and bathed. Once she was done she changed into a plain white dress. She folded Robin's clothes carefully, then put them in her bedside table drawer. Once she was sure nothing seemed out of the ordinary, she called for her maids to bring her dinner. She managed to pass off her absence due to sickness. She hoped that they didn't suspect anything and alert the king.<p>

Regina sat at her boudoir, gazing at her reflection. The more she thought about Robin, the more she came to realize that she was falling in love with him. She knew this feeling she was having, she hadn't felt this way about anyone else except for Daniel. It scared her, but somehow she knew that it was going to be ok. She knew that she had to see him again, but she didn't know when. She sighed, getting up and sitting on her bed. She heard a snapping noise, which startled her.

"Good evening, dearie! Ready for your lesson?" Rumplestiltskin purred. Regina completely forgot about her lesson today. "Uh, yes, let's begin," Regina said, standing up and looking a bit flustered. "You alright, dearie?" He asked. "I'm fine," she said, trying to push away the feeling that he knew about Robin. "Let's get started then!" He said with a giggle. Regina found it hard to focus today, which did not go unnoticed by Rumple.

"Now, try again. This time, feel it. Don't think about it. Ready?" He asked. Regina snapped back from being lost in her thoughts and tried to conjure a flower into a bird. She made the rose hover and glow feebly, before it dropped to the ground once again. "Stop getting distracted, dearie! I know you can do it, what's stopping you?" He asked. "Sorry, I- I don't know. I'll focus," she said. She tried again, seemingly making more progress but still not doing it right. "That's it. I'll come back when you've practiced," Rumple sneered, as he disappeared with a snap of his fingers. Regina sighed. She was too busy thinking about Robin to do magic.

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><p>The next few days were torture for Robin. To say he missed her was an understatement. He hadn't felt this way about anyone since Mirian. He got chills every time he thought of her, which was too often. He wanted nothing more than to go to her castle and see her again. He hoped that she was feeling the same way.<p>

What if she didn't miss him at all? What if she never comes back? Robin tried to push those questions out of his mind. He tried to distract himself, but he always came back to thinking about her. He hoped that one day they could figure out a way to be together. He finally decided to write her a letter. He sat down with his parchment and ink and began writing.

"Dear Regina, I trust you returned to your castle safely and without complication. I hope you are feeling better from your injury. I'm sorry your accident happened, but I'm glad that it brought us together. I enjoyed meeting and getting to know you Regina. You're so intelligent and you have a lot to offer, more than your life as queen is allowing you. I wish that someday you will find yourself happy, sharing your beauty and insight with the world. Roland misses your company, as do I. Please visit sometime soon, when you are able. Robin".

He signed it, rolled it up, and tied it to the leg of his pigeon. He tossed it into the air, the bird flying away into the direction of the castle.


End file.
